30 Nov - Annapurna

After being spoilt by both Singilila and its fabulous views of Kanchenjunga, and the remote beauty of the Yumthang valley in Sikkim, Sarah and I were just a little worried that the Annapurna Sanctuary trek might just not have had the same stupefying effect had we not already been on two such spectacular adventures.

So, it's coming up to 4pm, and we are sitting at a table on the roof of today's tea-house, relaxing and enjoying the late afternoon sun. Below us the roar of the Modi Khola, across the kilometre deep valley, some spectacular waterfalls, and immediately above our heads graceful vultures; their wings wouldn't look out of place on a light aircraft. But it is the view that their soaring draws our eyes to which really exemplifies why the Annapurna Sanctuary is reviewed as one of the world's best treks; behind the splayed tip feathers, but more importantly, way-way up, is Annapurna South, its peak just breaking through the cloud. It's the first time that we have been close enough to the giants to have to look up rather than across to enjoy them, and the effect is extraordinary. The shady valley in front of the peak is dark, forboding, and impossibly deep; its scale alone is enormous, but it is simply dwarfed by the snow capped mountain which keeps watch above it. As you can probably tell, this really is wow landscape.

The mountains are really what we are here for, but in fact the whole trek so far has thrown up so much eye-candy. Only yesterday we descended 900m through jungle and gorges, chasing energetic torrents down the hill; and that was after getting up at half-past-five to see sunrise at Poon Hill which offers a truly panoramic view of the Western Himalayas. As if that wasn't enough, our destination last night, Ghandruk, was just like being back in a medieval European village: dry stone buildings with heavy stone roofs; buffalo being herded along the streets towards waiting ploughs; and an array of equipment we haven't seen since the industrial revolution in the developed world. It really was magical, and just so peaceful. And you have to remember that the only way ANYTHING gets here is by porter or donkey.

Tonight we are staying in Chhomrong, the last permanent settlement in the valley that leads all the way up to Machhapuchhre's and Annapurna's base camps. Tomorrow we head north. Exciting times, and almost unbelievable that the scenery might be able to get any better.